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From walking groups to gardening: How one volunteer works behind the scenes to keep these Marine Parade seniors active, connected
For the past decade, one young volunteer has given time and energy behind the scenes, planning activities that bring the community closer and build a sense of belonging
Madam Safeah Bee Abul Kayum (centre) has found a community with fellow residents in Marine Parade, participating in brisk walks and other activities together.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
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On a breezy Saturday morning in July, a group of seniors strolled into East Coast Park with smiles on their faces and conversations flowing.
They had just completed a brisk walk from Marine Terrace, 2.6km away, chatting and joking as they went. For many, it’s not just exercise – it’s a chance to connect, unwind and rediscover the joy of movement.
For Madam Rohana Arbain and Mr Abdul Aziz Latiff, the brisk walking group, which meets once every four months, has introduced them to new friends and other activities that get them out and about.
Watch this video to learn how the Marine Parade community is embarking on a healthier lifestyle together.
Behind these smiles and connections is 31-year-old Iylia Shukor, a financial compliance officer who has spent a decade creating exactly these moments for his community.
The impact of his work is clear in the voices of those who participate.
Madam Rohana, 57, says: “I can walk at my own pace and, at the same time, I can chit chat with others.”
“It’s good for mental health and it relieves my stress!”
Mr Abdul Aziz, 58, shares her sentiments, explaining: “I feel good and relaxed after brisk walking, and I get to meet new friends, young and old.”
Alongside him, his wife Madam Safeah Bee Abul Kayum does not just participate in the walks, she has also volunteered to lead them.
The 58-year-old grandmother of 10 says the experience has been a breath of fresh air, and not just because of the seaside route.
“It’s not just brisk walking. We’ve had other new activities that we are able to participate in together and I’ve been able to get involved in as a volunteer as well,” she says.
The trio, now good friends, are among the many residents uplifted by a wave of grassroots initiatives and new activities in Marine Parade, Joo Chiat and Geylang. Simple but thoughtful, the events are often led by younger volunteers who want to make a difference.
New ideas and youthful energy
One such person is Mr Iylia, who is behind the brisk walks and several other ground-up events aimed at encouraging healthier lifestyles, particularly among the Malay/Muslim community.
His motivation is personal.
Mr Iylia says: “I’ve seen how chronic illness impacts whole families. To accommodate caregiving duties for a family member and take care of other loved ones, a close relative of mine had to take on shift work.”
He has also witnessed how the regular consumption of certain types of foods and beverages can impact health.
“I have family members who are involved in wedding catering on a weekly basis, and wedding food is not the healthiest to consume regularly,” he says.
Determined to help more from the Malay/Muslim community lead active, healthier lives, Mr Iylia started organising the brisk walks and other activities.
Mr Iylia’s journey into community work did not begin with a grand plan. It started with a simple act of volunteering during National Service in 2014 – helping out with programmes run by Malay/Muslim organisations.
At the time, he was just exploring. But that early exposure planted the seed.
“I dabbled in many different volunteering opportunities before I found what I was really interested in,” he says. “Sometimes you need to try everything before you know what’s best suited for you.”
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After completing his undergraduate studies in 2020, Mr Iylia continued volunteering even as he began his full-time career in the financial industry.
He started small, helping to manage SafeEntry at Masjid Kassim along Changi Road during the Covid-19 pandemic. But soon, he found himself stepping up. By 2021, he was the mosque’s youth lead and the assistant treasurer a year later.
To attract more young people to the mosque, Mr Iylia began organising health and sporting activities. These events brought him into contact with national agencies like the Health Promotion Board (HPB), and that was when things began to scale.
As his community work gained momentum, he joined M3, a collaboration by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, Mendaki and the People’s Association Malay Activity Executive Committees Council (MAEC).
Following this, he expanded the reach of his efforts by working with M3@Geylang Serai to conduct physical activity sessions under the Saham Kesihatan programme
In November 2024, he helmed the Family & Health Fiesta at Singapore Sports Hub with HPB’s support, bringing together over 1,000 Singaporeans of all ages to promote family bonds and holistic health.
As chairman of the Malay Activity Executive Committees Council, Mr Iylia led the organisation of the M3 Youth Fest at Geylang Serai in July 2025. The event, which brought together over 1,000 Malay/Muslim youths, featured activities including bubble soccer, a foam blaster competition, cultural performances and dialogues with various professionals.
Mr Iylia is quick to point out that it takes a community to serve the community. “For these massive events like the M3 Youth Fest and Family & Health Fiesta, the first thing I did was form a strong team,” he says.
Building a community to serve the community
One name that regularly figures in Mr Iylia’s team list is Mr Firdaus Kordi. Both men met five years ago when they were volunteering for Mendaki’s mentoring programme.
Mr Iylia Shukor (left) and Mr Firdaus Kordi often come together to brainstorm ideas for engaging the community.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
“I’m the paperwork guy,” Mr Firdaus jokes about his role supporting Mr Iylia.
With his background in project management, the 33-year-old supports Mr Iylia’s ideas by executing logistics plans, and follows up by making sure all paperwork is properly completed.
“Iylia is a great leader with a lot of vision for initiatives that support low-income families and health. I really support what he wants to achieve as I believe they benefit the residents,” says Mr Firdaus.
Mr Firdaus has become more than just a teammate to Mr Iylia – he is often his sounding board, helping to shape ideas before they take flight. One of his suggestions was to provide food at the end of the brisk walks, so participants could finish on a high social note.
Like Mr Iylia, Mr Firdaus serves in the MAEC. Together, they have organised a wide range of programmes – from grocery distribution for low-income families to community iftars during Ramadan. Each project, no matter the scale, carries the same aim: to bring people closer.
One of their more recent collaborations took root, quite literally, in the Marine Terrace neighbourhood.
“There were residents interested in gardening and we saw this as an opportunity for them to share their skills and knowledge to take care of a plot of land in the form of kampung spirit,” says Mr Firdaus.
Thanks to a group of volunteers, the Herbalicious garden at Marine Terrace boasts a wide variety of plants and functions as a therapeutic space for residents.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
Mr Iylia made sure the idea was not just a feel-good project but a lasting one.
“I supported it by making sure we got the grant for it as there are funds to support various interest groups like this one,” he explains.
The result? The Herbalicious garden at Marine Terrace, which has been open to all residents for two years.
For volunteer leader Madam Rohana, the garden is more than a place to grow herbs. It is a source of pride – and comfort.
“This garden is a form of therapy for some people with dementia,” she says, noting how it has especially helped her mother, who lives with moderate dementia.
‘Constant cycle of community support’
Mr Iylia finds it fulfilling when residents bring their friends and family to attend the events he puts together.
Seeing familiar faces like Madam Rohana, Mr Abdul Aziz and Madam Safeah – not just as participants but as volunteer leaders – gives him the drive to keep growing his ideas.
“We are planning to have sports activities on a monthly basis in various parts of Singapore and we want to bring in different age groups,” shares Mr Iylia.
Buoyed by the positive response from the community, he now dreams of launching “a massive inter-sports activity” that he hopes will get the support of key stakeholders.
For him, there are two inter-dependent sides that make a healthy community: giving support and receiving it.
“When I grow older and I’m not able to commit to as much as I am doing today, I hope that the constant cycle of community support means that I will be able to join activities as a participant,” he says.
“That’s something that I want to foster in others as well.” Giving.sg
Inspired by Mr Iylia Shukor and his team of volunteers? This SG60, visit
Celebrating SG60 with the Ministry of Culture, Communications and Youth
